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Learning experiences may be designed which reflect
students’ individual
needs and career interests. These learning experiences range in scope
from individualized study to an entire major and involve a written proposal
from the student.
Counseling is provided to assist the student with individual learning
opportunities through the Center for Interim and Contract Learning located
in Munger Hall. In addition, the Center maintains a clearinghouse of
current information regarding opportunities for internships and individualized
study. Students are encouraged to explore these opportunities through
the services of the Center.
Individualized study must be supervised by a faculty sponsor. Before
approving an individualized study project, the faculty sponsor may
require a written proposal on a contract detailing the objectives of
the project, the procedure to be used, a timetable for work to be completed,
a bibliography (if applicable), and the means by which the project
will be evaluated. Individualized study should be approved by the faculty
sponsor and faculty advisor prior to registration for the term. Contracts
must be signed by the add date for regular courses. Individual faculty
members have the option of refusing to accept the responsibility of
supervising a particular contract. Contracts are not to be considered
an alternative for existing courses in the curriculum.
Individualized courses usually carry the designation
of the supervising discipline. The college-wide designations “IND” and “GEN” are
also available as alternatives for courses that are not clearly in a
single discipline. Courses with non-disciplinary designations do not
satisfy general education requirements. Course numbers for individualized
study projects are listed below.
(1) 199, 299, 399, 499 INTERIM TERM PROJECT (1
unit).
If required for the major, the senior interim project (499)
must be in the student’s
major discipline and must receive a letter grade. First-year, sophomore,
and junior interim term projects may receive “S”/“U” or
a letter grade. Off-campus interim term projects must receive “S”/“U” unless
designated otherwise by the discipline. (See “Interim Term” section
of this catalog.)
(2) 293, 393, 493 INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSES,
AND SPECIAL TOPICS (½,
1 unit).
The amount of credit to be given is determined by the faculty
sponsor. In order to register for independent study and special topics
courses, a student must obtain approval from the faculty sponsor, the
faculty advisor, and the chairperson of the division in which the course
is offered. Should the faculty sponsor be a division chairperson, the
course should also be approved by another member of the division or by
the Provost. To elect “S”/“U” credit, a student
must have at least 16 units of college credit, 8 of which must have been
earned at the College; otherwise, the courses receive letter grades.
A maximum of two credits may be earned for independent study and special
topics courses.
(3) 297, 397, 497 EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING (½,
1 unit).
Experiential learning is a program of learning outside the traditional
classroom designed
to encourage students to learn through experience in a non academic setting.
Off campus projects are directed by Birmingham-Southern faculty members
who share supervision with a field supervisor in the cooperating institution.
Pre-professional internship courses (397, 497) may carry a “GEN” designation
or a disciplinary designation. They may not be used to fulfill general
education requirements. Unless a discipline specifies otherwise, all
off-campus projects are evaluated “S” or “U.” A
maximum of two credits may be earned for experiential learning credit
according to the designations which follow.
297 Career Orientation Practicum
(½)
Career orientation practicums are designed to give students an overview
of diverse professions and various career options. They are intended
to develop in the students a realistic understanding of the dimensions
of various careers, an identification of the skills and values necessary
to work in those careers, and the background for designing a college
program that will yield great flexibility in choosing a profession. The
practicum may be repeated once.
397 Pre-Professional Internship I (1)
Practical experience is offered for students who have some basic skills
and/or knowledge in a professional area. Prerequisites are determined
by each division. The project may be repeated once.
497 Pre-Professional Internship II (1)
This project is for students with advanced skills and/or broad knowledge
in a professional area. Students are given the opportunity to practice
skills which will be necessary at post undergraduate entry into a career,
or to further develop abilities which will be beneficial in a graduate
program. Prerequisites are determined by each division. The project
may be repeated once.
(4) 298, 398, 498 TEACHING EXPERIENCE (½, 1 unit).
The amount
of credit is determined by the faculty sponsor. When the student receives
credit for a teaching experience, he or she engages in activities that
are commensurate with the designation "Teaching Fellow," which
may include some combination of the following: setting up and/or teaching
laboratories, assisting the instructor in creating or revising a course,
collaborating with the instructor in preparation of examinations and
other assignments and in the grading of these assignments, developing
in class activities, leading or facilitating class discussions, and preparing
and delivering lectures. A maximum of two credits may be earned for teaching
experience. The following policies apply to teaching experiences:
(a) A brief written statement shall be prepared by the instructor and
the student in question, outlining expectations for both the student
and instructor and the amount of credit to be earned by the student.
The course number indicates the level of expertise expected of the student.
(b) This statement shall be signed by both student and instructor no
later than the confirmation of registration for the semester in question,
and shall be held on file by the instructor and a copy given to the student
to keep.
(c) Students earning this credit shall be designated "Teaching
Fellows."
(d) Teaching Experience (courses numbered 298,
398, and 498) shall be evaluated only as “S”/ “U.”
(e) Students who participate in the Vail College
Fellows program shall earn credit and/or a tuition stipend, as follows: "Fellows" earn
credit for 498; "Distinguished Fellows" earn a tuition
stipend.
(5) 453 ADMINISTRATIVE
INTERNSHIPS (1 unit).
Students in this program work closely under the guidance of an administrative
officer at the College.
The student is given “hands on” administrative experience
through a wide variety of administrative responsibilities. Administrative
interns attend weekly seminars to discuss issues of higher education
administration. During these seminars they also meet with each Vice President
of the College and other key campus administrative officers. The program
is supervised by the President and the Assistant to the President of
the College. The disciplinary designation for Administrative Internships
is IND 453. IND 453 is an elective credit and does not count toward general
education requirements. Students who elect to receive “S”/“U” must
have at least 16 units of college credit, eight of which must have been
earned at the College; otherwise, the course receives a letter grade. |